Janus’ Life Coaching approach is to redirect individuals with entrenched behaviour away from offending behaviour and substance misuse
About the approach
The coaching tool we are using is a combination of four different approaches:
- TGROW model
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Gestalt therapy
- The Resonance Factor
Janus recognises that a variety of approaches is required to work with a diverse and complex client group. Our approach draws on three perspectives aiming to provide a greater capacity to address entrenched behaviour.
TGROW model that is used to help to identify specific goals that the individual wants to achieve, and the actions required to achieve those goals. The outcomes of the exploration with the client are then applied to the goal sheet in order to make the goals and actions more specific and detailed.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)is an approach that aims to address dysfunctional emotions, maladaptive behaviours and cognitive processes and contents through a number of goal-oriented procedures. This is aimed at helping the client to change unhealthy thought patterns and the consequent behaviours.
Gestalt therapy is an existential/experiential form of therapy that emphasises personal responsibility, with a primary focus on how the individual experiences the:
- ‘present’ moment, environmental and social context of a persons life
- self regulating adjustments individual’s constantly make regarding their overall situation
Gestalt therapy recognises and makes aware to the individual the internalised messages from specific and significant phases of their lives that fundamentally shape they view their present reality . Gestalt believes change comes about as a result of ‘full acceptance of what is, rather than a striving to be different’. For the drug using offender an understanding of who they are may aid them in stepping outside of their metaphorical ‘prison’.
The Life Coaching approach is constructed on the ability of the individual to understand the thinking and behavioural processes that get in the way of achieving their goals. CBT as an intervention places great emphasis on encouraging the individual to explore new ways to approach situations, however, individuals are shaped and constructed by powerful messages from the past that influence their development and how they engage the world in the ‘present’. Gestalt interventions provide the means that bridges the cognitive approaches of TGROW and CBT, with the emotional needs of the human being.
The Resonance Factor features in the Life Coaching approach as it is the model used to explore the relationship the individual has with their drug of choice. It includes a focus on the pleasure derived from drug use and the sacrifices that are made in pursuit of this pleasure. The 5 pillars of the Resonance Factor are:
- Justifications the client uses to support their drug behaviour
- Uniqueness (Drug DNA) of their own relationship to their drug/s of choice
- Cravings and how the drug user must understand and recognise these powerful drivers to use
- Relapse Awareness – the understanding of the investment that the drug user makes in not being aware of risky behaviour
- Transition – the shock of managing changing behaviours and thinking in order to do something new and different
This eclectic approach is designed to be adaptive to the unique requirements of those who are motivated to change lifestyle and behaviour.